Bonds
by TransientFireworks
Summary: He realized that that was how it is with Annabeth, how it always was, though he never saw it. Their relationship didn't need something special. Or fake smiles. Fake jokes. Or even talking in general. He didn't know what, but Leo knew that their was something between them. Something familiar and nice. Leo wondered if this was what it felt like to have a big sister.
1. Bonds

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson.**

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Leo never thought he'd find himself trapped in room with Annabeth of all people.

Not that she wasn't a cool person, it was just that she, well, terrified him. Her eyes were currently heated, burning imaginary holes into the walls around them. Her stomps echoed back and forth across the room as she paced. It's been like this for the ten minutes and, while she seemed to have gathered some hidden energy, Leo had decided to rest on the floor, back against the wall.

His hand kept fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. He had forgotten his trusty tool-bag and therefore had nothing to occupy his attention. ADHD was bad enough when he was working on a project, but with nothing in the room? He was just a giant ball of energy ready to burst.

Leo supposed that that was what kept Annabeth going.

"There has to be a way out," she said for the hundredth time.

"If there is, I'm not seeing it," Leo replied. That apparently was the wrong thing to say. Annabeth glared down at him and he gulped.

"Leo, it'd be nice if you'd at least_ tried _to think of a way out."

He shrugged. "What can I say? I know a lost cause when I see one."

She huffed and collapsed beside him. "How can you be so calm about this?"

Why was he so calm? Normally he'd be as pacy as Annabeth, going around the room looking for anything he could use as a way of escaping.

Leo said, "I guess it's cause the gang knows you and I are usually in here. So once they realize we're gone for so long, they'll come looking for us."

Annabeth stared at him before grinning. "I'm a failure as the daughter of Athena. I'm supposed to be the logical one and yet here I am freaking out."

Leo scratched his nose, a slight blush on his cheeks. "Actually I learned to think clearly from watching you. Besides, you were freaking out about coming up with a plan. I got nothing."

Thinking about their predicament, Annabeth sighed and leaned her head back. "How did we even get locked in here?" she groaned.

"We came to check on the boiler and I forgot that the knob to the heavy-steel-door was broken and that we weren't supposed to close it," Leo said simply.

She shook her head, but smiled. "That was a rhetorical question, but thank you for that evaluation."

It was quiet for a while, and it was then that Leo realized something: Annabeth was awkward to be around.

Okay, maybe awkward wasn't the right word. It was just that, Leo figured that they'd have_ something_ to talk about. After all, they had spent plenty of time together working on the Argo II. But she wasn't exactly in the most social mood during those moments; too busy thinking about finding her boyfriend, Percy Jackson. This was the first time they were alone together since finding Percy. Leo had to say, Annabeth's mood had definitely improved. But still, what were they going to do to pass the time?

Leo beamed and swiftly turned his body towards Annabeth, who jumped at the sudden movement.

"Let's play Questions," he said.

She raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"We'll ask each other a bunch of random questions. It'll help pass the time." His grin faltered, seeing her face. She looked cautious; skeptical and analyzing. He cleared his throat. "Never mind-stupid idea. Let's-"

"I wanna play." Annabeth smiled and Leo noticed that it was nice. It lit up her face and, with those blond curls, made her look like a sunflower. It was actually cute. "You first," she said.

Leo thought for a moment. "How long have you and Percy known each other?"

Her face turned tender. He noticed that that only happened either around Percy, or when Percy was mentioned. "Since we were twelve. He came to Camp Half-Blood, turned it upside down, and we've fought a lot of battles together since then. We always had each others back."

Leo laughed, "He's your Seaweed Brain, right?" Annabeth blushed and he shrugged. "I heard you call him that earlier."

She cleared her throat. "Uh, yeah. I've been calling him that since we first met."

Leo looked down, playing with his shirt again. The boiler clanked loudly, steam bursting out of the pipes. Leo was fine, being the son of Hephaestus, but Annabeth was sweating hard, hair clinging to her neck and the sides of her face.

"I wish I was that close to someone," he finally said.

"What about Piper and Jason?" she asked.

Annabeth was surprised when Leo scowled. "Piper has Jason, and they're totally in love. I'm just the third wheel in that group." He hadn't meant to blurt that last part out, but it was already spoken. Leo didn't meet her concerned eyes. "Your turn."

She took a while before speaking. "Have you ever lost anyone important to you?"

Immediately, his mom's face danced across his eyes, and Leo swallowed a lump in his throat. Why was everything so serious around Annabeth? She had her moments of humor, but not as much as the others. Actually, it was just that, her serious demeanor, that kept him talking.

"My mom," Leo mumbled. "She died in a fire. I haven't really gotten that close to anyone since."

He expected pity, or the typical _I'm sorry_, and was ready to retaliate with a joke. But Leo was shocked to see something in her eyes he rarely saw other people give him: understanding.

"There was a boy," Annabeth said, sad. "His name was Luke. When I was a kid, I ran away from home. He, Jason's sister Thalia, and I were on the run together. I had grown up with Luke and eventually fell for him." Her eyes swelled with tears. "He died protecting me. Protecting everyone. I tried so hard to save him but…sometimes a person is just too far gone."

The silence was back, but it wasn't awkward. In fact, it was comforting. Without really thinking about it, Leo reached out and put a hand to her shoulder. Annabeth smiled, grateful, and wrapped one hand around his. Neither said a word, but conversation was just unneeded. Something happened between the two that Leo felt being made; a bond.

He realized that that was how it is with Annabeth, how it always was, though he never saw it. Their relationship didn't need something special. Or fake smiles. Fake jokes. Or even talking in general. He didn't know what, but Leo knew that their was something between them. Something familiar and nice. Leo wondered if this was what it felt like to have a big sister.

About an hour later, Frank and Percy had managed to break the door down and found the two sleeping. Shoulders not touching, just barely grazing each other with heads inclined towards the other.

Leo figured that he actually didn't mind being stuck in a room with Annabeth after all.

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**Omg, I wrote this at one in the morning when I was supposed to get up at five in the morning. Responsibly me. **


	2. Hugs For All (Not Really)

**Yeah...wasn't really planning on another chapter for this "one-shot" but...GODS THESE TWO ARE JUST SO CUTE. Haha, at least the way I picture them in my head. **

**What'd you guys think? Would you like this to become a story full of Annabeth and Leo one-shots?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson. **

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"Chase!"

Annabeth jumped ten feet in the air. "Gods, Leo! Don't scare me like that!"

The elf-like boy had suddenly shot into her face, a sly smirk spreading across his grease smudged face. She figured he was working on something on the Argo II again (well, he didn't really do much else.)

"What'd you need?" she asked, skeptical of the answer. With this boy, Annabeth never knew what it was. He was just too unpredictable sometimes.

"Come on." He lifted his arms with just a bit of hesitation. But the enthusiasm was still there. "Get a special _Valdez Hug_. They're free."

Annabeth almost choked on her spit trying to hold in her laughter.

Leo grinned, liking that he could get a serious girl like her to smile. He lifted his arms higher and walked forward, fully intent on catching her off guard with his amazing hug. What he didn't expect was that the exact opposite would happen.

"What the-?" Leo said, feeling a pair of long arms wrap themselves tight around his waist. He immediately knew who it was. "Percy! These arms were reserved for Annabeth!"

"But the Valdez Hug was too tempting!" Percy joked. This time Annabeth didn't hold back and burst out laughing, fall to the floor while clutching her sides.

Leo scowled. "Curse my amazing hugs. Everyone wants a piece of them."

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**I WANT A VALDEZ HUG SO BAD. WHY MUST HE BE FICTIONAL!? NICO AS WELL! LOL**


	3. 2 T's (Trading and Thief)

**This one is short but technically I'm supposed to be doing homework so be grateful, lol.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson.**

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"NO!" Annabeth shouted. "Come on, Leo! Give it to me!"

It was too hilarious for Leo _not_ to smirk. For once, in the entire span of knowing Annabeth, Leo_ finally_ had something over her. Something she desperately wanted that only _he_ could provide for her. Oh, he was going to fun with this one.

"Face it Chase," he said, giving her a once-over. "You don't have the package I'm looking for."

Annabeth snarled, "If you would just look at my inventory-"

"Nope," he shook his head, "sorry, but you don't have any TM's I'm looking for."

Annabeth shook her 3DS in the air, frustrated to the point of wanting to smash her new Pokemon X onto the ground (which said a lot.)

"B-But-Spritzee-so cute!" Annabeth was in such misery and shame over the situation that she couldn't even produce a simple sentence. "Need-Pokemon-that!"

Leo burst out laughing, eyes wide with mirth and clutching his sides.

Annabeth smirked, seeing his moment of distraction and, being the clever-wise-girl she is, grabbed the 3DS that laid in-front of the laughing boy and ran as fast as she could to her room, fully intent on locking the door.

Leo cried out, "Chase! I was in a Gym Battle! You better not make me lose!"

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**Gods, these two will be the death of me. The next one I might include Piper because I also love her and Annabeth's friendship.**


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